Improvement in rein-holders



I. .0. TILITONL,

Rein- Holders. v No. 146,491. Patentedlan.l3,l8.74..

IQ E aw; M. a s

IMPROVEMENT IN RElN-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 146,491, dated January 13,1874; application filed September 20, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC G. TILTON, of Mount Carmel, Wabash county, Illinois,-have invented a new and useful Rein- Holder, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to a device which is to be attached to a post or other fixed object .for the purpose of having reins or hitchingengaged with a rack-bar, so as to prevent the reins being accidentally detached.

Owing to the provision of this rackbar, the

reins are held with a positive action, so that they cannot slip; and, on this account, the device is rendered capable of being applied to the post in a vertical or horizontal position, as may be found most convenient; and in some cases the holder may be completely inverted, as, hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved rein-holder, the lever being shown fully opened. Fig. 2 is another perspective view of the holder, with the lever closed, and a hitching-strap engaged with the device. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the holder secured to a post in an inverted position to that represented in the two preceding illustrations. Fig. 4 shows the holder secured in a horizontal position, the bracket of the same being partially in section.

The principal member of my rein-holder consists of a plate or bracket, A, whose ends are perforated at a, to receive screws B, wherewith said bracket is secured to a hitching-post, O, or other fixed object. The bracket is forked at a, and the forked member D is slotted at d, to receive a lever, E, that is provided with a stump or. pawl, c. This lever is pivoted to the forked member D, at F. Projecting outwardly from the bracket A is a rack or ratchet bar, G, with either of whose teeth 9 the pawl e is capable of being engaged. this bar is a pin or stop, H, which prevents the lever E being opened too far. A spur, I, projecting rearwardly from the handle E. enters a pit or cavity,'J, in the bracket whenever said lever is closed.

The operation is as follows \Vhen not in use, the handle or lever E depends from the pivot F, and is prevented swinging out so far as to be in the road by the stop or pin H. To attach a rein, hitching-strap, or bridle to the holder, it is only necessary to pass it through behind the opened lever at a point above the spur I, after which said lever is depressed, so

as to clamp the rein firmly within the holder,

as shown in Fig. 2, in which K represents a hitching-strap. When thus clamped between the lever and the plate or bracket, the spur I enters the cavity J, and thereby prevents the rein or strap slipping down and working loose from the holder; and, as the pawl e of said'lever is now engaged with the rack-bar G, there is no possibility of the rein being accidentally detached from the device.

This positive locking of the retaining-lever is an advantage peculiar to my holder, and renders it much more useful than those reinholders which operate with an eccentric movement, as the latter are liable to slip by the weight of their levers unless they are secured in one certain position.

My holder, however, will operate equally as' well when arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, inverted as in Fig. 3, or placed in a horizontal position, as represented in Fig. 4, in

which latter view L may be the dash-board of a carriage or other vehicle.

By referring to the above illustration, it will be seen that the operating-lever is maintained in its closed condition by the positive action of its pawl 0 within the rack-bar G, .and, consequently, the weight of said lever can never cause it to become disengaged therefrom.

To unhitch the rein or strap, it is only necessary to spring the lever sufliciently to disengage its pawl from the rack or ratchet bar, when the rein is immediately liberated.

This device not only holds the rein securely UNITE STATES TENT FFIOE.

Inserted in.

in position, but it does it in such a manner as to prevent the leather being injured in any way; and, on this account, the rein or strap will last much longer than it will do when Wound around and tied to a post or other 01)- ject.

I claim as my invention The projecting pin I of the lever E and cavity J of the forked bracket A, in combination 

